Caleb Larson used to be the most insignificant member among my subordinates.

That was, until he blocked a stab meant for me. That blade was 0.4 inches away from plunging right into his heart.

After that, I insisted on marrying Caleb regardless of my family's objections.

Since then, everyone thinks that I, the spoiled and wilful heiress to a gang, have gotten married out of love.

Two years later, however, a woman seeks me out.

"Are you Quinn Stewart?" she asks.

She waves the gold bracelet that has the initials "CS" engraved on it.

"Cal no longer loves you. He tells me that he feels nauseous whenever he sees your face. You'd better pack up and leave the Stewart family if you still have any sense left in you."

I blow the steam away from my coffee cup. Not even the woman's pained screams are capable of making me frown in the slightest.

But when Caleb personally rushes over and demands to know why I've chosen to beat Selene up to the point her face gets disfigured, my expression changes instantly.

"Everything is over between us, Caleb!"

"Stop deflecting, Quinn Stewart."

Caleb Larson stopped me from getting into the car to leave. His fleet of cars had surrounded mine. I looked on coldly as he questioned me for the sake of another woman.

"Selene Gardner has been rushed to the hospital for emergency treatment. The doctors said her face might be completely disfigured. You just can't let her be, can you?"

Caleb's handsome features were twisted into a frown.

Indeed, I'd ruined Selene's face by splashing hot coffee across her face and instructing my lackeys to slap her multiple times.

"So? Are you here to avenge her?"

I looked up at him, intrigued.

"Are you going to torture me to an inch of my life, or destroy my face as an apology to her?"

Caleb glared at me as though he wanted to kill me.

"Let me ask you again. Why did you do such a horrible thing to Selene?"

"She deserved it," I answered simply.

This response set Caleb off.

"Get out of there!"

As soon as he spoke, a lackey desperate to score points with Caleb rushed forward to yank at my car door.

The door was forced open within a few seconds.

Before he could touch me, my driver, Jason Green, reached out to dislocate his arm. The sound of his bones snapping out of place was followed by an anguished wail.

I massaged my temple, annoyed.

"It's too noisy."

The wailing stopped instantly.

Caleb pursed his lips. Then, he hissed through his teeth, "Quinn Stewart, are you going to beat up everyone around me today? Don't forget that Ashville's my turf. Have you asked for my permission before hurting my people?"

I couldn't help but chuckle.

It was true. The whole of Ashville knew that Caleb was part of the Stewart gang. My father, Mark Stewart, had handed him control over Ashville.

But Caleb was forgetting something. I was the sole daughter of the Stewart family. Before marrying me, Caleb was nothing but a disposable lackey working for the Stewarts. I'd given him everything he had now.

Ignoring Caleb's questions, I raised my hand, signalling that Jason could start driving. I wanted to leave this suffocating place.

As the car sped off, I could still see the burning hatred in Caleb's expression through the rearview mirror.

While I was looking out of the window, my phone buzzed. It was a message from an unknown number with three pictures attached.

The first was a golden bracelet engraved with Caleb and Selene's initials, CS. The second was a picture of a huge bouquet of 999 flowers, laid out on a hospital bed. The last picture was of Caleb passionately kissing Selene in the hospital bed.

The caption read, "Look who Caleb really cares about."

I didn't even frown at the boring attempt to try to get a rise out of me. I deleted the message.

Going back to my home screen, I studied my wallpaper, which was a picture of Caleb and me at our wedding. He was smiling shyly and clasping my hand with his sweaty palm.

I recalled how Caleb had said, "You've been so good to me, Quinn. I, Caleb Larson, swear on my life that I'll be your faithful knight for the rest of our lives."

Caleb lied.

Frowning, I threw my phone out of the window without hesitation. It crashed into the tarmac, screen cracking. Fractures appeared in our wedding photo.

"I'm tired, Jason. Drive me home."

The mansion was abnormally silent when I got home. I was about to go upstairs when I suddenly noticed that the lights were on in the bathroom, and I could hear the sound of pouring water.

Had Caleb come home? My heart skipped a beat. I hadn't prepared myself mentally to see him again.

As I hesitated, I heard humming from the bathroom. It was a woman. Who was it?

My heart sank into my stomach. Padding over to the door, I grabbed the baseball bat I kept in the corner and snuck upstairs, leaning against the bannister as I went.

I knelt by the door and waited for the intruder to come out. When the door opened, I watched as Selene walked out, wrapped in my silk robes. Her wet hair was strewn over her shoulders as she hummed a tune.

The second she saw me, the contented expression on her face disappeared.

"Cal, Cal, save me! She wants to beat me up again!"

Selene's knees gave out as she crumpled onto the floor. She cried as though the end of the world had come early.

Upon hearing her shrieks, Caleb rushed over, appearing seemingly from nowhere. He shoved me aside and stood in front of Selene.

"Aren't you done with your childish ploys? Will you only be satisfied if she dies?"

"Let me ask you, Caleb. Why is this woman in my house? Why is she using my bathroom?" I enunciated every word clearly, pushing down the anger bubbling at the surface.

"The hospital environment is not ideal for Selene's recovery. I brought her back so she could recover in peace." Caleb spoke as though his explanation made all the sense in the world.

"Recover in peace? In my bedroom and my bathroom?"

I was so furious I snorted at the utter nonsense Caleb spewed righteously.

"I'm warning you, Caleb. You had better get her out of my sight within three minutes. Otherwise, I won't hold back anymore."

Selene nestled into Caleb's chest. She tugged at Caleb's sleeves and whimpered timidly, "Cal, has Quinn always had such a terrible temper? That explains why Madam…"

Pausing purposefully, she turned to me, a challenge glinting in her eyes.

"Quinn pissed her off so much she died, right?"

Selene's words were like a thorn. It stabbed into the deepest crevice of my heart, where I'd hidden my secret. I felt as though my blood had frozen in my veins. I couldn't breathe.

"You're asking for it."

Driven by impulse, I swung my bat at her. A dull thud sounded out. Caleb had caught the bat, withstanding the hit for Selene. Quinn could hear his bone cracking.

His eyes were rimmed red as he glared at me angrily.

"You're incorrigible, Quinn!"

Incorrigible.

I zoned out. My mother's name was Cecilia Weston. Her death was a forbidden secret in my family. It was a secret that had to do with me, back when I was a spoiled little princess, headstrong and reckless.

I felt as though I could smell the scent of the storm from three years ago.

Back in the hospital, I had clung onto Caleb, who'd suffered a fatal wound to save me. Begging and screaming, I insisted on marrying him immediately.

Cecilia was a strong woman who'd carried the Stewart family on her shoulders her entire life. She wouldn't give me her blessing.

She said he was ambitious and harbored ulterior motives. Yet, did I listen to her?

A young girl crazy in love would only think that the world was trying to stop her from achieving her happiness. So, I handled it my way.

Being brash and unafraid of consequences, I trespassed onto the territory of our enemies, while men on both sides were engaging in an intense brawl.

Even now, I still have no idea what I wanted to prove by doing that. Was I trying to prove my sincerity? Or did I just want to strongarm my mother into giving in?

My mother had rushed over like a madwoman. She used her body as a shield, taking a bullet to the heart for me.

"I'll give in. Be happy with him."

With her last breath, she fulfilled my selfish demand.

Outside the funeral home, rain poured.

Caleb knelt before Mom's photo. He slammed his head against the ground again and again until blood and rain streamed down his face.

"Cecilia, I swear that Quinn will be the only woman I love! I will protect her with my life and make sure she doesn't suffer. If I go back on my promise, I'll die a terrible death!"

I'd believed the passion burning in his eyes, thinking that his warmth would drive away the chill in my heart from my mother's death.

Back in the present, I met Caleb's eyes.

"I'm incorrigible? Have you forgotten everything you said before Mom's grave?"

Caleb seized for a moment. His arm fell to his side.

"Selene's young, and she didn't mean it. Forgive her."

She didn't mean it? I shook my head.

"She must pay for what she said!"

Imbued with a sudden burst of strength, I lifted the bat once again and swung it toward Selene.

The bat didn't make contact with Selene. Instead, it hit Caleb. He'd shielded her with his own body.

When the bat landed on him, he whimpered and paled. However, his hold on Selene hadn't loosened up at all. Instead, he'd pressed her further into his chest.

Just like…

Just like that stormy night back then. Caleb had been covered in blood, but he'd protected me with everything he had.

"Don't be scared, Quinn. I'm here."

I didn't stop hitting him. I even put even more force into it as the bat collided with his body again and again.

Stuck in a trance, the sound of him consoling Selene broke through the haze in my head.

"Don't be scared, Selene. I'm here."

…

All the anger and madness drained out of me. My arms fell, and the bat thudded to the ground.

I stood in place, disoriented, and watched as Caleb anxiously asked Selene whether she'd gotten spooked. He didn't even care about his own injuries.

Then, I looked up at him. The love and warmth in his eyes had disappeared, only to be replaced with disdain and disappointment.

At that moment, I understood.

He had thrown away our past, as well as the tears and promises he'd made, even though he'd nearly sacrificed his life to have me.

It wasn't a misunderstanding, nor was he just playing hard to get. Caleb genuinely didn't love me anymore.

"I was wrong about you, Quinn. I used to think you were just reckless and headstrong because you were spoiled. Yet, Selene merely said something wrong, and you wanted to take her life. Turns out you're an evil woman through and through."

He pulled Selene till she was flush against him, as though he wanted to become one with her.

Selene took the opportunity to wail in his arms.

"I'm scared, Cal, I'm scared! I don't want to see her!"

"Don't be afraid, I'm here."